Kona Gold Stakes His Claim to Record Too

Kona Gold did more than earn his first stakes victory in the $107,300 El Conejo Handicap Sunday at Santa Anita.

Making his seventh career start, the 5-year-old gelding and even-money favorite broke the track record for 5 1/2 furlongs, beating 3-1 second choice Big Jag by a two lengths.

It was the fourth victory for Kona Gold, and trainer Bruce Headley hopes the son of Java Gold goes on to have the same kind of year the former track record holder at the distance had in 1996.

Lit De Justice won the race three years ago in 1:01 4/5, starting a campaign that culminated in a win in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and an Eclipse Award as the nation’s top sprinter.

“It’s hard to say if this was his best race,” said Headley, who also owns the Kentucky-bred with Irwin and Andrea Molasky. “The Breeders’ Cup [Sprint where he was third in last year’s race behind Reraise and Grand Slam] was against the world. [The record] is great.”

Kona Gold, ridden by Alex Solis, battled for the lead from the outside, put away 7-2 third-choice Mr. Doubledown entering the stretch and was never seriously menaced by Big Jag.

A winner of five in a row coming into Sunday, Big Jag finished 4 1/2 clear of Mr. Doubledown, then came Swiss Yodeler, Majorbigtimesheet and Driggs Retreat. Ex Marks The Cop and Cold N Calculating were scratched earlier in the day.

“I knew this horse had never trained as well as he had before this race,” Solis said. “I knew he was the best horse in the race and I didn’t want to be messing around at all with him today. If he was going to get beat, it wasn’t going to be because he got in trouble.”

Big Jag certainly wasn’t disgraced in defeat and he’ll get a chance to turn the tables in the Palos Verdes Handicap at six furlongs Jan. 30.

“The track was playing to [early] speed all day and that didn’t help us one bit,” jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. said. “I knew if we got too far behind we’d have no chance at all. We made up ground, but not enough to catch the winner.

“My horse ran a heckuva race and to me he’s still one of the top sprinters in the nation.”

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Texas Glitter, the even-money favorite, won the $75,000 Spectacular Bid Handicap Sunday on the opening day program at Gulfstream Park in Florida.

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velasquez, Texas Glitter--a 3-year-old son of Glitterman--beat Valid Trefaire and seven others in the first prep race for the Florida Derby on March 13. The victory was the third in four starts for Texas Glitter, who is owned by Dennis Swartz.

Two races later, Behaviour scored a 6-1 upset in the $100,000 Appleton Handicap, a race moved from the grass to the main track.

Owned by David Feldman and trained by Marty Wolfson, Behaviour won for the fourth time in 11 starts on the dirt, completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45 3/5 under jockey Shane Sellers. Notoriety was second and favored Missionary was off the board.

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Weights will be released Wednesday for Sunday’s $200,000 San Pasqual Handicap, the race that will mark the 1999 debut of Silver Charm.

Other probables for the Grade II race, which is run at 1 1/16 miles, are Malek, Dramatic Gold, Crafty Friend, Young At Heart and Musical Gambler.

Malek, the winner of the 1998 Santa Anita Handicap, has been idle since finishing fourth behind Silver Charm in the Dubai World Cup.

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Cape Canaveral, an impressive winner in his career debut on Dec. 26, will try to become a stakes winner when he runs in the $100,000 San Miguel Stakes on Saturday.

Trained by Wayne Lukas, Cape Canaveral--a son of Mr. Prospector--won clear after breaking from the rail and is likely to be opposed by Actin Time, Aristotle, Danzig Commander and Bold ‘N Brawny.

Horse Racing Notes

Bruce Headley also trains another Santa Anita record holder in Son Of A Pistol, who set the record for 6 1/2 furlongs when he won the Potrero Grande Breeders’ Cup Handicap last April 4 in 1:13 3/5. . . . Jockey Eddie Delahoussaye moved closer to 6,000 career victories aboard favored Gratteau, who won the ninth race on Sunday. Delahoussaye has 5,989 victories. . . . Manistique, who will make her 1999 debut in the $150,000 El Encino Stakes on Jan. 17, worked seven furlongs in 1:26 Sunday morning at Hollywood Park for trainer John Shirreffs.